Hydraulic synchronized lifting means for slips



1932- J. s. TAYLOR 1,860,062

HYDRAULIC SYNCHHONIZED LIF'TING MEANS FOR SLIPS Inventor JAMES S.TAYLOR 'aa'ml A ltomey Patented May 24, 1932 PATENT OFFICE JAMES S. TAYLOR, 0.1? TULSA. OKLAHOMA HYDRAULIC SYNCKRONIZED LIF'I'ING IIIEANS FOR SLIPS Application filed October 21, 1929. Serial No. 01,322.

This invention relates or Jertains to a lifting device and more particularly to a hyclraw lic synchronized sllp actuating llllllfllillllfi which is adapted to be entirely contained on and within the bowl or base which houses the slip blocks or slips.

Present day devices and arrungen'ients for lifting the wedge shaped slip blocks from their seat'cd or gripping position are very cumbersomef ilue to the fact that leverage systems are used to obtain the necessary force to do so and consequently take up much valuable space; This space is very desirable, if not absolutely necessary, during certain operatious such as a cementing job, as will he readily undgirstood by those skilled in this art. Moreovi r, such mechanical svs'tcms tend to raise-the center of gravity of the unit and render it les stable.

It might be noted at this point that my construction is adaptable to a wide number of difl'erent installations. For example, it may be expediently applied to a rotary table,.a

-spider or an elevator.

One main object of my device is to do away with any system of levers or the like over or around the casing. I do this b my novel hydraulic means, and, to the st of my knowled c, I am the first to inventively create a manuafiy operated hydraulic system of this Another object of m invention is to provide a construction w ich will have a low center of gm vity and which will also be balanced about its vertical axis so that when it is applied to an elevator it will tend to stabilize the same rather than cause it to be unsteady when in suspended ,position. In this regard it mi ght be mentioned that there are no protruding levers or parts which might cause injury to the workmen. Also, means are. provided to retain the slips in position even though the bowl or base containing them should be inverted.

Another object is to apply the force which lifts the slip blocks in a direction which is in parallelism to their-direction of movement. This reduces the force required to lift the blocks to a minimum.

Yet another object is to provide means for aiding the operator in pulling down the lover whereby the fluid 3 stem is placed under pressure. Hand in hsn with this object it is to be noted that I have further means which releases the fluid system from pressure when such is desirable. For example, as will be fully understood from reading the detailed description following, when the rammed lever is in its lower position the slip blocks are ele' vated and the fluid is under pressure. Now, if the lever is suddenly lifted to about a. horizoutal plane onl Y the spring will tend to hold the slips from s iding downwardly to an engaging position. Since the spring is not strong cnou h to support the weight of the sh it will 0 compressed and the slips will sin e downwardly due to gravity. However, in order to add snap to the action of the slips, I provide another cam on the lever which releases the spring tension entirely.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a simple, cheap and cfiective hydraulic well casing "rippin" device which can be readily adapted to per iorm its several functions with efiiciency and dispatch.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, I have shown in the accompanying drawings a typical embodiment of it, which, in practice, will give reliable and satisfactory results. Itis, however, to be understood that this embodiment is typical only and that the various instrumentalitles of which my invention consists can be variously arranged and organized, and that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein set forth.

In the accompanying drawings;

Figure-1 is a top or plan view of a. bowl or base with slips equipped with my novel liftinn arrangement.

Figure 2 is an enlarged broken sectional view taken along either of the lines 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view in cross section taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a. schematic illustration of my double cam.

Figure 5 is a. diagrammatic showing of the "o posing forces. and packing ho din ducts inthe base. This lar to Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a top view of the handle.

- Figure 7 is an enlarged view of the'plungcr operating means.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throu bout the several views.

In t e-practice of pulling or inserting casin a well it is customary to have a casing means adapted to beset upon the the rig and also have a similar gripping or holdm' device adapted to be supported in movable relationship thereto.

In my im rovcd device 10 designates the base or owl of a. casing holding means which may. be supported as desired. A topered hole 11 is formed therein and slips or slip blocks -12-, 13, 14 and -15- slide therein in the usual manner. These blocks are interlocked us at 16- and hence must move as a unit. Blocks 12 and 14- have ears 17 and -IB-, respectively, and are identical in other respects. Blocks -13 and 15- are also similar in construction.

As all of the slip blocks are keyed to the walls of the tapered hole II in exactly the same manner only onewill be set forth in detail. Referring to Figure 3, 20 designotes a spline or key which rides in the undercut slot or he way 21- and hence causes the slip bloc to move outwardly as it travels upwardly.

Referring now to Figures 2 undo it will be noted that a passageway or duct is formed in the base element This duct might C011 sistof a pipe. This is indicated by the character -23- and egresscs' in three places. Small bores, the splines -20--, are joined to the duct near each end thereof and a larger cylinder or bore 30- is connected therebetween. Hence a continuous chamber is formed and such is filled with a liquid 29-.

Bores and 25 have identical structure therein and hence (ll'llytlltll; shown in bore -24- will be recited. A plunger 26- slides up and down as acted upon 1y --9.7 held t erearound by the stutling box 28- prevents the escape of the entrapped flinch Suitable stops -31, fastcnerl to the base 10 as at -32 prevents excessive upward movement of the slip blocks.

A piston or plunger 33' rccipr'ocntes in the bore or cylinder and as this piston moves downwardly the other two plungcrs must necessarily move upwardly. And. since the plunger --33 has acrosssectional arenof more than the sum of the areas of-thc other two plungers it stands to reason that their velocities will be greater. This is very desirable as it makes for snappy action and quick gripping. Packing -8-'l., held tightly in p ace by the stuffing box 35 view is iuplan, jsimi- '-R- 1S utilized in forcing 24- and'--25-'-'. parallel to .When the device is prevents leakage of the oil or the T e piston 33 is threaded at its upper end as at'-36 and the unit --37- is adustably screwed thereto as at 38. This unit -37 consists of a stem 39 having a. shoulder -40- and a base portion 4l havin depressed surfaces 42+ and A b1 urcated handle having cams -5l and -.-52- thereon, see Figure 6, is pivoted to the uprights or lugs or brackets and 61- as at 62- and G3- respectively.

.The came, --51 and 52, are adapted to engage in the de ressed surfaces -iiand 3, respectively, and )revent any turning of the unit 37-. owever. the real function of the cam surfaces which con tact with the base or plate portion 41 is to cause it to move downwardly as the handle 50-- is pulled downwardly.

Referring to Fi re 4; -L- designates that portion of ea'ch cam which acts against the plate 41-- and causes it to be forced downwardly a distance indicated by the letter P-. It will be noted that the handle may be moved through an are as shown by the letter R but only the movement during part of the entire movement the plunger -3f downwardly.

A ball crank or lever pivoted to the bracket 61. asat -71-, is adapted to be swung above the plunger to hold it in its bottommost position when such is desired. Com -90-,' onth e lever -50-, see Figs. 6 and 7, 'is so positioned thereon as to trip the bell crank- -70 just before the lever 50 reachesits top position.

A disc -80-- is slidably'mounted on the upper part of the stem 39 and a spring 81 set thereon. A casting 82- rides against the u iper ends of these springs and may be force downwardly by means of the 'bolt and lo-clmut arrangement 83 threadedly inserted through the upper part of the bracket 61.

Referring again to Figure 4, U designates that are offthe cams which contact with the bottom side of the disc 80--. This contact occurs only when the handle -50- is near its upper end of its stroke. In other words, the'cam portion L- does not funct-ion when the u per cam is functioning. The short cemmed portion -H, is merely adapted to hold the handle in its tion.

The operation upper posiis readily. understood. standing nlle the handle is inits top-position end-remains so by virtue of the sprin'g force'of spring 8l acting on the reverse .cani surface 'H-'. The handle may be constructeds'o as to operate inany'choseh plane. The springs, at this time, are'merely pushing against the brackets the pivot points -62- and 61 throu h the medium of b e cam thereo ada e t ri e inst the D sueraines iv rega s cams -51 and 52.

When or after the handle is pulled or ro tated downwardly through an are equal pressure pushes against the stem 39- an consequently the plunger 33-. Next, further rotation of the handle causes the cammed tgi portion L to operate on the plate 41 and this force is added to the spring force in causing the movement of the plun er. It will be noted that the springs are un er considerable pressure and that when the handle is operated quickly the spring force will act in the manner of a blow and this impact together with the operators force on the handle will cause an upward movement of the plungers under the slips in such a sudden and powerful fashion as to preclude any sticking or binding thereof.

After the slips are raised lever may be operated to bring its lower end above the plate -41 thus holding or lockin the slips in their upper position. The hand e or lever may now be moved to substantially its top osition and then when it is desired to reease the fluid pressure thereby lowering the slips, the operator may either trip the lever 70- by directly pulling the same or else he may indirectly trip it by moving the lever -50-- slightly upwardly thus causing the lug or cam 90 to wedge the bottom of the lever 70 from its seat on the plate 41.

\Vhile I have described a complete embodiment of my invention I do not wish to be limited to the particular construction shown, my invention being in fact limited solely by the attached claims.

IVhat I claim is:

1. A hydraulic synchronized lifting apnaratus comprising a horizontal base having a substantially vertical hole therethrough, slips having ears near their tops adapted to slide against the walls of the hole, said base .having bores under the ears of the slips and parullcl to the walls of the hole, a passageway interconnecting all of the bores, fluid in the passageway, plun ers in the bores, said plungers being adapte to be reciprocatcd and of such length as to engage with the cars of the slips and lift said slips, and means for placing the liquid or fluid under pressure.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 but further characterized by the fact that the means recited therein consists of a bore or cylinder interconnected to the passageway, a piston having a threaded upper end mountcd in the bore or cylinder, a plate having two parallel depressed surfaces in its upper face and a threaded hole in its lower face adapted to be adjustably connected to the upper end of the piston, and lever means having a douand -63 and the t 1'0" sa -6 EH wiihsij isgsr an? as l- -H the disc seats on the shoulder -40- and thereafter the sprin in we tlici dil ii tiiigli dptining a liquid or rt tap i ed i a 1 Ire v ,7 aptea' iaesgg gsane es of sea a stew-u), unspent? su t-as dt this tilt Eitllihth ring-a nea ebl I l "c t-reserves he sli 0c (5, unggrs sru ittiii"' "ifl" shid l) efsricli'f iditihii ifs to exert ll' thig to ce ofi tlie locks when moved in one direction, said plunger movement being parallel to the slip blocks movement, liquid in said passageway and means to exert pressure on the liquid whereby lifting force is exerted on the slip blocks. a;

4. A device of the character described consisting of a bowl having a tapered hole therethrough, two slips therein, said bowl having a passageway therethrough which egresses near the slips, plungers reciprocably mount ed near either end of the passageway and adapted to directly engage with the slips, fluid in the passageway, and means to place the fluid under pressure whereby the plungers will push against the slips. a

5. A device of the character described consisting of a bowl having a tapered hole therethrough, two sli s therein, said bowl having a pas ageway tlierethrough which egresses near the. slips, and means slidably mounted; in the passageway near each end of the passageway and contacting with the slips, said passageway being adapted to receive a liquid and means for forcing the liquid along the passageway.

6. In a well pipe clamping device having a base, hydraulically operated slips therein and means operated by pressure fluid for operating said slips, the combination of means for furnishing pressure fluid to actuate the slips, said means comprising a piston, said base having a bore to receive said piston, said piston snugly and slidably fitting said bore and adapted for reciprocation therein, a base portion rigid with the piston, a stern having a shoulder thereon extending from said base portion, a disc mounted on the shoulder, spring means acting on the disc, and cam means placed between and cooperatively associated with the base portion and the disc.

7. A well pipe clamping device having a base, hydraulically actuated slips therein and means operated by pressure fluid for operating said slips, means for operating the sli s comprising a hydraulic system having fluid therein in a chamber, and a bore connecting to said chamber, a piston snugly and slidably fitting in said bore, spring means abutting against the piston to push the piston into its. bore and auxiliary means, including a lever and means actuated by the lever riding against the piston, whereby the piston is pushed into its bore.

8. A hydraulic lifting device of the character described comprising a base having a tapering bore therethrough, a number of ipping devices movable in said bore, hy-

raulic elevating mechanism for said gripping devices, and spring means for mainmining the fluid in the mechanism under pressure.

In testimony whereof I aflix my si nature.

JAMES S. TA OR. 

